Web Page sponsor Viasat
www.viasat.com/gov-uk
————————————————————————
12 Sep 23. Viasat DARC-ssd™ 600 Evaluated for Top Secret Data by UK Government. Next-generation data-at-rest encryption solution is the only device of its type evaluated by the U.K. National Cyber Security Centre for Top Secret and Secret classified data. Viasat U.K. Ltd., a subsidiary of global communications company, Viasat Inc., (NASDAQ: VSAT), today announced that its U.K. designed and manufactured next-generation data-at-rest cryptography solid state drive (SSD), DARC-ssd™ 600, has been fully evaluated for the protection of data up to Top Secret classification by the U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Data-at-rest technology secures government devices that are stolen, lost or attacked, protecting U.K. Ministry of Defence (MOD) and other sensitive government data.
The U.K. NCSC completed its CAPS evaluation of the Viasat DARC-ssd™ 600 for the protection of data at rest up to Top Secret classification, making it the only hardware encrypted SSD using the industry-standard interface and form factor to attain this status. The DARC-ssd solution is now the only encryption device using a Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) interface and small form factor (M.2) that can be used for Top Secret and below data, creating a highly secure and flexible encryption solution for government customers.
DARC-ssd™ 600 is designed to deliver significantly improved performance compared to existing data at rest solutions, while ensuring the highest levels of protection for both military and government users. By using the industry standard NVMe interface and common form factor M.2 2280, the DARC-ssd™ 600 allows customers to upgrade older hardware and integrate next-generation encryption with the latest commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and tactical military devices – laptops, desktops, tablets, servers, and network-attached storage.
“Keeping data secure in an age when data breaches can cause serious long-term repercussions is critical. As a longtime provider of information assurance solutions to the U.K. government, we’ve seen the evolution of encryption technology and the growing challenge to ensure Top Secret and other sensitive data for government users on their devices is as secure as possible,” said Hisham Awad, Managing Director of Viasat U.K. “The DARC-ssd 600™ continues Viasat’s decades-long tradition of hardware encryption solutions offering the highest possible level of accreditation to the U.K. armed forces and wider government. We’re excited to continue working with our partners and direct U.K. government customers to provide advanced data-at-rest capability to protect valuable U.K. government and military data and enable secure integration with the latest commercial and military devices.”
The DARC-ssd 600™ uses Viasat’s integrated military level 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) hardware with full drive hardware encryption for all data and the operating system. Data is decrypted upon bootup of the device with mandatory two-factor authentication and then encrypted immediately when the device is powered off. Unlike software encryption managed by the operating system, this hardware encryption approach limits the impact on overall device performance and manages secure authentication and encryption within the hardware container itself, which decreases the opportunity for tampering.
In addition, DARC-ssd™ is designed to offer quicker loading times and lower power consumption, as well as a covert and seamless user experience making it a highly effective data security solution for defense customers that is available in capacities ranging from 256GB, 512GB and 1 terabyte (TB).
12 Sep 23. RFA Argus has been confirmed today as the first military vessel to deploy low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet for her 400-strong crew, from global LEO communications network OneWeb and its distribution partner, Airbus.
The maritime terminal will provide low latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ship anywhere in the world – even during challenging sea conditions and high-speed motions.
The Kymeta Peregrine u8 terminal, fitted as a pilot while Argus was docked in Falmouth this summer, marks the first time that such advanced satellite-connectivity technology has been deployed on a military ship using the OneWeb network.
RFA Argus performs several key roles for the UK armed forces. She is the UK’s Primary Casualty Receiving Ship with a 100-bed hospital in times of conflict; a training vessel for military helicopters operating at sea; and she deploys as a front-line vessel around the world with helicopters to conduct counter-narcotics operations, disaster relief missions, and supporting Royal Marines amphibious raids.
Lieutenant Commander Ben Slater, from the Royal Navy’s specialist Digital unit, said: “Crew welfare and morale is a key tenet of a platform’s fighting capability. Enhanced connectivity, such as that delivered by low Earth orbit satellite networks is an area that the Royal Navy are looking to exploit. Through close collaboration with industry partners, we have been able to fit a capability onboard RFA Argus that will enable her crew to keep in touch with family and friends over the OneWeb satellite network and are looking forward to seeing how it performs at sea for the first time on a naval vessel.”
Chris Moore, VP Defence and Security at OneWeb and former 2* Royal Air Force officer says, “In the modern era of global deployments, the well-being of sailors, soldiers, aviators and civilian staff has risen to become a strategic imperative for all armed forces: it is pivotal role to generating mission effectiveness through maintaining morale. When in demanding, remote, and hazardous environments, the ability to remain connected with loved ones, access recreational resources and communicate with friends becomes vital in sustaining a resilient and motivated force. Now through OneWeb’s global constellation network and working with partners, like Airbus – we’ve shown that we can make this a reality for all.”
Ben Bridge, Airbus Defence and Space UK Chairman for Global Business and a former Royal Navy Officer, said: “Working collaboratively across the military-satellite communications ecosystem, Airbus and OneWeb have demonstrated how LEO capability can provide more resilient and richer services for those at sea. The deployment of this innovative technology reflects our commitment to providing critical connectivity solutions to the Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence in the most demanding of environments, whether that be on land, sea, air or space.” (Source: UKDJ)
12 Sep 23. RTX to Begin International Deployment of Ground-Based Low Earth Orbit Observation System.
- International deployment of LOCI enhances RTX’s space surveillance and tracking capabilities
Raytheon’s UK-based space domain awareness specialist – announced today the international deployment of its Low Earth Orbit Optical Camera Installation, called LOCI, that was built and developed in the United Kingdom. Raytheon is an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business.
This ground-based space domain awareness sensor system is being deployed in the Sierra Mountains, California, in the United States and has been tailored to tackle the challenges of low-Earth orbit optical observation. LOCI provides critical observation data on objects in low-Earth orbit, including space debris, defence assets and commercial spacecraft.
“By deploying LOCI, we are expanding our existing sensor network internationally to improve our coverage and, ultimately, our awareness of what is occurring on orbit,” explained Sean Goldsbrough, head of Raytheon NORSS. “These intelligently selected locations will increase the quantity and quality of data we’re collecting and allow our customers deeper insights into what is happening with and around their assets of interest and the overall space environment.”
The Sierra Mountains are an ideal location for deployment given their minimal light pollution and cloud coverage, allowing LOCI to capture high quality images with limited environmental interference. Further international locations are already under discussion as the Raytheon NORSS team looks to expand its capabilities in coming years.
“The space domain already shapes our way of life, and our ability to monitor and support assets in orbit is critical to ensuring space continues to yield the technological benefits we associate with it,” Goldsbrough said. “With the global deployment of LOCI, a technology that places Raytheon at the forefront of space-based technologies, we can provide our partners with a more comprehensive picture of what is taking place in low Earth orbit”.
LOCI was developed by Raytheon NORSS in Northumberland, UK using internal research and development funding. (Source: ASD Network)
12 Sept 23. Space Trailblazer to 3D print satellites and hypersonic structures. The first iLAuNCH Trailblazer project is under way to establish an advanced manufacturing facility in Adselaide that will design and deliver stronger more durable satellite and hypersonic vehicle structures using Additive Manufacturing (AM).
Additive manufacturing, the process of creating an object by building it one layer at a time has disrupted the traditional manufacturing world, where subtractive manufacturing, created by cutting away at a solid block of material until the final product is complete was once the norm.
Partners in this iLAuNCH Trailblazer program includes the Future Industries Institute at the University of South Australia (UniSA) and Adelaide-based advanced manufacturer VPG Innovation.
The technology behind this new endeavour will use additive manufacturing through Electron Beam Melting (EBM) of metals. The EBM technique ensures almost all of the energy put into creating the electron beam goes into melting the metallic dust. This is extremely important as the dust is high temperature material such as titanium and nickel dust which melt at very high temperatures or can become brittle.
“This partnership reflects our commitment to fostering innovation and cultivating sovereign capability on a national level,” said Al Jawhari, Group CEO and Co-founder of Stärke-AMG, the parent company of VPG Innovation.
“This important project is well underway in one of our key focus areas – additive manufacturing,” said iLAuNCH Trailblazer Executive Director, Darin Lovett. “Increasing the availability of custom structures, which are space-ready, will support the growing space sector.
“The partnership will also support a world-class Australian sovereign manufacturing capability that will create new jobs, alongside a highly trained workforce, leading to global exports within the space industry and other markets.”
The facility will be located near space sector businesses in Adelaide and will support the industry with rapid 3D printing of metals for space structures.
“The iLAuNCH hub is dedicated to building the space engineering capability of Australian Manufacturing. This project, the first to kick off for the space trailblazer program, will deliver additive manufacturing, at scale to Australia,” said University of South Australia’s Industry Professor Colin Hall.
The EBM process takes place in a vacuum, allowing for a high temperature in a non-oxygenated environment, which relieves internal stresses and results in more resilient, flexible parts. VPG Innovation serves as an essential partner within the Stärke-AMG group, a collaborative group encompassing eight companies with operational facilities in Australia and the USA. Specifically designated as the engineering and prototyping arm of the group, VPG Innovation plays a crucial role in the design-for-manufacture process. (Source: https://www.ex2.com.au/)
11 Sept 23. OneWeb, announces today the launch of a new fully person-portable, lightweight user terminal (UT), that fits easily into a backpack, enabling new connectivity capabilities for military operations and emergency response teams working in areas beyond the bounds of traditional terrestrial networks and direct to the tactical edge. The FoldSat LEo Ku OW Mil terminal is OneWeb’s first fully ruggedized user terminal. The small terminal is self-aligning and easy to deploy and optimised for operation over the OneWeb Ku-Band LEO satellite constellation for communications on the pause. Manufactured by Inster (Oesia Group), it weighs just 11.8kg and has a low profile and foldable antenna design. The Wi-Fi access point can provide connectivity up to 100 metres.
Air Vice-Marshal (Retired) Chris Moore, VP Defence and Security at OneWeb, says: “Maritime, air or land forces operating at the tactical edge require high quality connectivity in all environmental conditions. In highly dynamic situations, the ability to access information wherever and whenever it’s needed provides competitive advantage coupled with person-portability – when wheels, tracks and rotor blades are not an option, making this terminal a real game changer. The pizza box sized FoldSat LEo user terminal, is lightweight, quick and efficient to deploy, yet still provides high speed, resilient connectivity, an ideal portable solution for those in the most testing of locations.”
The new terminal can operate via a multi-option external power source; mains, battery, solar or vehicle battery, while still delivering high-speed, low latency performance connectivity. Ideal for real-time data transfer, video and voice services, the FoldSat LEo is well suited to perform under the toughest environmental and operating conditions. With a throughput of up to 195 Mbps download and 32 Mbps upload speeds, it features external GNSS input for GPS denied environments. The FoldSat LEo terminal also slides into a backpack folded for increased portability for command & control, situational awareness or even just welfare needs which make it ideal for land, air, maritime or Special Operations Forces, humanitarian and disaster relief, and emergency services,
“Movability is a vital aspect of missions where no other satcom, cellular or terrestrial-based networks are available,” adds Moore. “With our global network constellation and ground infrastructure, these new user terminals in OneWeb’s product line are well placed to support critical comms to the tactical edge.”
The FoldSat Leo is available in two models – military grade in Tactical Green colour and commercial grade in White – the new terminal measures 452L x 374W x 114H mm in folded portable form, and 855L x 374W x 57H mm unfolded when operational.
The terminal comes with built-in Wi-Fi 6 capability, a military grade AC/DC unit, tripod and a set of optional extras (transit case, batteries, bespoke backpack). It is designed in compliance with MIL-STD 810H and MIL-STD 461G standards. For more information visit www.oneweb.net.
10 Sep 23. Five Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) Graphite Epoxy Motor (GEM 63) solid rocket boosters helped power the successful United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V launch of a national security payload today, designated SILENTBARKEKR / NROL-107, for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office and U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command.
The boosters provided approximately 1.85 m pounds of thrust to propel ULA Atlas V rocket out of Earth’s gravity. The mission is critical to national defense and will improve space domain awareness and satellite threat intelligence. In addition to the upper stage propellant tanks supplied by the company, Northrop Grumman will continue to provide GEM 63 rocket motors to support ULA’s Atlas V, and GEM 63XL rocket motors to help boost ULA’s Vulcan rocket, scheduled for its first launch later this year.
12 Sep 23. Hanwha Phasor signs agreement to join OneWeb’s Family of Terminals. Satellite Technology company Hanwha Phasor has signed a User Terminal Development Agreement with OneWeb, the global communications company powered from space. The agreement will see the two industry leaders collaborate on the development of a new In-Flight Connectivity terminal that will enable airlines to connect their aircraft, passengers, and crew over OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication network.
The User Terminal Development agreement means that Hanwha Phasor will formalise testing for Type Approval certification which will give the business access to the OneWeb network. Along this process, OneWeb will provide support to Hanwha Phasor on modem integration, terminal debugging and satellite airtime.
Hanwha Phasor has been working since December 2021 to meet the requirements to join the OneWeb network. The agreement between the two businesses formalises this work and marks and important step on the road to accessing the OneWeb constellation. The terminal is scheduled for certification in 2025.
OneWeb is a global communications network powered by a constellation of over 600 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Headquartered in London, OneWeb enables high-speed, low latency connectivity for governments, businesses, and communities everywhere around the world.
The announcement comes as Hanwha Phasor showcase their Phasor-A7700 at Defence and Security Equipment International 2023 (DSEI). The business will be on stand H3-240 alongside Hanwha Aerospace, and will be discussing its wider portfolio of satellite communications options and the business’ plans for wider satellite communication development for military and civilian applications.
Dominic Philpott, Chief Operating Officer of Hanwha Phasor: “We are proud to announce this agreement which formalises over 18 months of hard work. Producing a terminal for the OneWeb network is an important step towards providing full satellite communications for our customers. We look forward to working closely with OneWeb over the coming months to receive for certification on their satellite constellation”.
Massimiliano Ladovaz, Chief Technology Officer at OneWeb: “We are excited to partner with industry leader Hanwha Phasor to deliver seamless, high performance connectivity to our airline customers – and their passengers. Together we look forward to enabling even more passengers, flying on current and future commercial aviation aircraft to enjoy high-speed, low latency connectivity – delivering a connected experience that is limited only by their imagination, not the available bandwidth.”
04 Sep 23. Orion Space Solutions launches Consortium for Space Quantum Innovation. Orion Space Solutions has established the Consortium for Space Quantum Innovation (CSQI) in support of ongoing and future vision and needs — the Consortium aims to accelerate collaboration between the U.S. government and its partners, industry partners, and academia to advance leadership in the realm of space quantum information science.
This effort is in response to the National Quantum Initiative Act and serves as a pioneering platform emphasizing the relationship between quantum technology advancements in the space domain and national defense imperatives.
CSQI will chart evolutionary trajectories for R&D and, most critically, seamless integration of quantum technologies that are customized for space domain awareness. Recognizing the evolving dynamics of space as a domain, the Consortium encapsulates a proactive blueprint for development of an integrated ecosystem of quantum spacecraft, sensors, and data platforms tailored for evolving customer needs in low earth, geostationary, and cislunar space. Through CSQI, Orion strategically anchors quantum technologies for the research, science, defense, and intelligence ecosystem.
Equally paramount is the consortium’s focus on quantum standardization, aiming to institute stringent quantum benchmarks. This ensures an architecture of interoperability and reliability tailored to the idiosyncrasies of space operations.
“The main goal of Orion’s CSQI is to both strategically and tactically anchor space quantum technologies within the operational epicenter of the nation’s defense, intelligence, and civilian priorities. It identifies and addresses the needs for enabling technology, standards, and a workforce to strengthen leadership in quantum information science by the United States and its partners. Our vision is to help foster quantum science and to fortify integrated deterrence, synergizing joint force space integration and refining space operations interoperability.” — Chad Fish, Chief Operating Officer, Orion, Executive Director, CSQI
“This consortium stands as a paragon of collaborative synthesis and will work with stakeholders in the U.S. government and its partners, academia, and industry to identify and address needs for enabling priorities, technology and standards to support the emerging space quantum domain.” said . “Establishment of CSQI is our deep commitment to elevating space domain awareness and operations capabilities into a realm of unparalleled quantum excellence.” — Rachel Hauser, Vice President, Orion, Deputy Executive Director, CSQI
“Space is one of humanity’s last uncharted territories. Our primary objective is to provide the United States and its partners with the ability to integrate Space Quantum Sensing and Communication capabilities with interconnected spacecrafts and sensors into our NEXUS Electromagnetic Data Mesh Network for Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) [AKA: NEXUS Space Network]. As the Chair of the Consortium, my priority is to ensure that we will increase our ability to conduct space quantum science and to bolster national defense, while advancing space quantum technology.” — Dr. Samih Fadli, Senior Vice President and Chief Quantum Information Scientist, Orion. (Source: Satnews)
04 Sep 23. Space X’s two scrubs then a launch finally send U.S. military’s Space Development Agency’s 13 satellites soaring. Following two scrubs the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off on schedule with 13 demonstration satellites for the U.S. military’s Space Development Agency (SDA) at 7:25 a.m. PDT (10:25 a.m. EDT / 1425 UTC)7:25 a.m. PDT (10:25 a.m. EDT / 1425 UTC).
The site’s location on the California coastline provides customers with access to high inclination and polar orbits, frequently used by satellite communication constellations, defense intelligence and Earth-observing satellites, and some lunar missions. Launches from Vandenberg heading straight south traverse open ocean all the way to the Antarctic, by which time the vehicles have long since reached orbit.
Following two scrubs, SpaceX launched on the third attempt with a batch of 13 communications and missile tracking satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base on the Tranche 0 Flight 2 mission for the Space Development Agency (SDA) on Friday. An issue with engine 4 scrubbed the first attempt, and a ground valve issue scrubbed Friday’s attempt.
At the request of the Space Development agency SpaceX did not provide coverage of the second-stage portion of the flight. This is standard procedure for many national security missions.
The 13 demonstration satellites launched are for a future constellation of military missile tracking and data relay satellites. Ten satellites for the constellation were launched April 2 on a Falcon 9. Four more satellites are scheduled for launch on a later mission hosted by the Missile Defense Agency, according to an SDA fact sheet. (Source: Satnews)
31 Aug 23. NGA, NRO, USSPACECOM plan for threats to commercial satellites remote sensing space assets vital to the nation’s intelligence collection mission. The Commercial Space Protection Tri-Seal Strategic Framework (Executive Summary) brings together the three organizations to jointly share threat information and conduct other measures to avoid or reduce harm to commercial satellites from potential threats.
This is the first comprehensive agreement between the intelligence community and USSPACECOM on how to bring commercial vendors into the information-sharing process to help ensure effective joint collaboration and cooperation from the minute an event happens, with near real-time information sharing about any risks and threats to NRO-contracted commercial space capabilities.
The global commercial satellite industry continues to grow exponentially, with the launch of hundreds of commercially-built satellites into orbit in the last few years and thousands more planned in the near future.
Similarly, the U.S. intelligence and defense communities increasingly rely on commercial satellites to add resiliency to U.S. capabilities and provide commercial imagery and other services to complement and extend the reach of government-owned space assets.
The unclassified, shareable nature of commercial imagery makes it an especially valuable source for information sharing with U.S. partners and allies. For example, it has played a significant role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. NGA and NRO have applied tailored tasking and acquisition strategies to maximize collection over the region, working with partners and commercial suppliers to expand user access and enable the rapid dissemination of commercial imagery.
Of course, the growing impact of those commercial resources has also increased adversaries’ attention on them. As commercial providers expand their space-based capabilities, their assets face higher risk of targeted interference.
The new framework begins to address those concerns and helps ensure NRO-contracted commercial imagery providers are aware of — and can plan for — threats within a more congested and contested space environment. It also facilitates communication about potential threats between the government entities and commercial providers.
Overall, the framework defines the roles and responsibilities of NGA, NRO and USSPACECOM in three critical areas — threat information sharing, anomaly investigation and response and collection strategies:
- Threat information sharing between the U.S. government and the commercial sector creates a better understanding of the space domain in general and the threats to collection assets specifically.
- Anomaly reporting, investigation and response are needed to inform appropriate and timely actions in the face of current and emerging threats.
- Commercial imagery collection strategies may need to be adjusted if threats require a change to commercial collection postures.
U.S. Space Command will lead threat information sharing with NRO-contracted commercial imagery providers and the NRO Operations Center for space events, counterspace attack and USSPACECOM warning problems. The command will also lead investigations into anomalies reported by commercial imagery providers, in coordination with NGA, NRO and other organizations as appropriate.
By delineating roles and responsibilities in these areas, NGA, NRO and USSPACECOM ensure their organizations effectively identify, assess and adapt to threats against commercial imagery collection. This framework also helps ensure NRO-contracted commercial imagery providers are properly informed of emergent and imminent threats to their space assets, enabling providers to make informed decisions to best support collection operations and benefit them in their support of U.S. government and non-governmental customers.
Over the next six months, NGA, NRO and USSPACECOM will jointly complete concepts of operations and standard operating procedures for implementing the framework and improving commercial satellite protection going forward
“This agreement is additional recognition of how valuable commercial image providers have become in the space environment. Our commercial vendors give us the flexibility to strategically consider all available capabilities — whether government or commercial — to make certaibn we can get the right data to the right place at the right time.” — Frank Avila, Acting Director, Commercial Operations, NGA
“Space is an extremely contested environment, and it’s only getting more so. That’s true not only for government systems operating in space, but for our commercial systems as well.” — Pete Muend, Director of Commercial Systems Program Office, NRO
“This cornerstone agreement advances U.S. Space Command’s space domain awareness through additional, non-traditional sources of information. The lessons learned from implementing this historic framework will enhance the U.S. government’s ability to bi-laterally share time-sensitive threat information with commercial providers, enabling the rapid dissemination of threat information across the commercial space enterprise.” — Victor Vigliotti, Chief of Commercial Integration Branch, U.S. Space Command. (Source: Satnews)
04 Sep 23. iLAuNCH Trailblazer additive manufacturing hub to be established an advanced manufacturing facility that will design and deliver stronger more durable satellite and hypersonic vehicle structures using additive manufacturing (AM). Additive manufacturing, the process of creating an object by building it one layer at a time, has disrupted the traditional manufacturing world where subtractive manufacturing, created by cutting away at a solid block of material until the final product is complete, was once the norm.
The facility will be located near space sector businesses in Adelaide and will support the industry with rapid 3D printing of metals for space structures. Partnering with UniSA’s established additive manufacturing capability, this project will support an increase of VPG employees and the upskilling of current ones in the area of AM for space applications.
The technology behind this new endeavor will use additive manufacturing through Electron Beam Melting (EBM) of metals. The EBM technique has the huge advantage that almost all of the energy put into creating the electron beam goes into melting the metallic dust. This is extremely important as the dust that we are talking about is high temperature metals such as titanium and nickel which melt at very high temperatures or can become brittle.
The EBM process takes place in a vacuum, allowing for a high temperature in a non-oxygenated environment, which relieves internal stresses and results in more resilient, flexible parts. The design freedoms allowed by additive manufacturing methods such as 3D printing provide designers of space objects with immense opportunities to optimize parts for performance by removing the limitations imposed by traditional manufacturing methods.
Together through iLAuNCH, this project will enable the partners to develop best practices for manufacturing design and devise the most appropriate way to build parts with this novel new technology.
“This important project is well underway in one of our key focus areas – additive manufacturing,” said . “Increasing the availability of custom structures, which are space-ready, will support the growing space sector. The partnership will also support a world-class Australian sovereign manufacturing capability that will create new jobs, alongside a highly trained workforce, leading to global exports within the space industry and other markets.” — Darin Lovett, Executive Director iLAuNCH Trailblazer
“The iLAuNCH hub is dedicated to building the space engineering capability of Australian Manufacturing. This project, the first to kick off for the space trailblazer program, will deliver additive manufacturing, at scale to Australia. The project is full steam ahead; we already have two engineers in Sweden developing the practical skills to operate and maintain the systems. It’s a great to work with a company, that is innovative, proactive and has a long-term vision.” — Professor Colin Hall, Industry Professor, University of South Australia
“VPG Innovation is excited to collaborate closely with the esteemed researchers from the Future Industries Institute at the University of South Australia (UniSA) to introduce and advance this cutting-edge technology within the Australian landscape. This partnership reflects our commitment to fostering innovation and cultivating sovereign capability on a national level.” — Al Jawhair, Group CEO and Co-founder of Stärke-AMG, the parent company of VPG Innovation
The Australian Government is building new research capabilities, driving commercialization outcomes and investing in new industry engagement opportunities through the Department of Education’s Trailblazer Universities Program. The Innovative Launch, Automation, Novel Materials, Communications and Hypersonics (iLAuNCH) program will build Australia’s sovereign space capability by addressing critical gaps and accelerating development of a space manufacturing sector. Through this federal program, iLAuNCH will receive $50 m of investment over 4 years, alongside a further $130 m from universities (University of Southern Queensland, The Australian National University, and the University of South Australia), industry partners, and CSIRO. The net economic benefit of the $180m investment is expected to be $3.6bn by 2040.
VPG Innovation serves as an essential partner within the Stärke-AMG group, a collaborative group encompassing eight companies with operational facilities in Australia and the USA. Specifically designated as the engineering and prototyping arm of the group, VPG Innovation plays a crucial role in the design-for-manufacture process.This affiliation empowers VPG to harness the comprehensive array of services offered by the group, thereby presenting clients with an impeccably integrated suite of cutting-edge end-to-end Advanced Manufacturing services. Bolstered by a diverse scale of services and an increasing expertise of over five decades, Stärke-AMG stands as a wholly Australian-owned and operated group of companies that specialise in turnkey solutions for design, prototyping, complex precision machining, tooling, plastic injection moulding and fabrication projects, delivering full product and system assemblies. (Source: Satnews)
31 Aug 23. SpaceX launches 22 Starlinks from the Cape. SpaceX successfully launched at 11:22 pm 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
This is the seventh flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, Inmarsat I6-F2, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, and one Starlink mission. Following stage separation, the first stage landed in the fog on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
If needed, additional launch opportunities are available at 11:12 p.m. ET (03:12 UTC on September 1) and 11:29 p.m. ET (03:29 UTC on September 1). Six backup opportunities are also currently available on Friday, September 1 from 7:25 p.m. ET (23:25 UTC) until 10:56 p.m. ET (02:56 UTC on September 2).
This is the seventh flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, Inmarsat I6-F2, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, and one Starlink mission. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Starlink is available for residential, business, roam, mobility, marine and aviation purposes and more. (Source: Satnews)
31 Aug 23. China launches new remote sensing satellite group. China launched a Long March-2D carrier rocket on Thursday to place a group of three remote sensing satellites in space.
The three satellites of the Yaogan-39 family were launched at 3:36 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan and entered the planned orbit.
This mission is the 485th flight of the Long March carrier rockets. (Source: Satnews)
30 Aug 23. Sweden’s Berg Insight’s 2027 forecast — satellite IoT subscribers to reach 23.9m. According to a new research report from Sweden’s specialist IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the global satellite IoT communications market is growing at a good steady pace. The global satellite IoT subscriber base grew to surpass 4.5 m in 2022. The number of satellite IoT subscribers will increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 39.6 percent to reach 23.9 m units in 2027.
Only about 10 percent of the Earth’s surface has access to terrestrial connectivity services. That leaves a massive opportunity for satellite IoT communications. Satellite connectivity provides a complement to terrestrial cellular and non-cellular networks in remote locations, especially useful for applications in agriculture, asset tracking, maritime and intermodal transportation, oil and gas industry exploration, utilities, construction and governments. Both incumbent satellite operators and more than two dozen new initiatives are now betting on the IoT connectivity market. This new study covers a total of 44 satellite IoT operators.
“Iridium, Orbcomm, Inmarsat and Globalstar are the largest satellite IoT network operators today,” says Johan Fagerberg, Principal Analyst at Berg Insight. Iridium grew its subscriber base by 20 percent in the last year and reached the number one spot serving 1.5 m subscribers.
Originally a dedicated satellite operator, Orbcomm has transitioned into an end-to-end solution provider, delivering services on its own satellite network as well as being a reseller partner of Inmarsat and others. At the end of Q4-2022, the company had 1.1 m satellite IoT subscribers on its own and Inmarsat’s networks. At the same time Globalstar reached 0.44 m subscribers. Other players with connections in the tens of thousands include for instance Myriota in Australia, Kineis in France and Thuraya in the UAE. In addition to the incumbent satellite operators a number of new initiatives have appeared on the market recently.
Examples of some high-profile projects are Astrocast, AST SpaceMobile, CASC/CASIC, E-Space, Fleet Space Technologies, Hubble Network, Kepler Communications, Kineis, Ligado Networks, Lynk, Myriota, Omnispace, Skylo, Swarm Technologies (SpaceX) and Totum.
Many of these are based on low-Earth orbit nano satellite concepts. While some rely on proprietary satellite connectivity technologies to support IoT devices, several are starting to leverage terrestrial wireless IoT connectivity technologies including OQ Technology, AST SpaceMobile, Omnispace, Sateliot, Galaxy Space, Ligado Networks, Lynk, Skylo and Starlink (3GPP 4G/5G); EchoStar Mobile, Fossa Systems, Lacuna Space, Innova Space and Eutelsat (LoRaWAN); and Hubble Network (Bluetooth).
(Source: Satnews)
30 Aug 23. Forrester’s Digest: Virgin Galactic established their next sub-orbital launch date — plus Could Garmin be expanding their satellite SOS biz? ‘Galactic 3’ has a launch window opening on September 8th, subject to weather and technical considerations. The flight will carry Virgin’s ‘Founder Astronauts’ who are all early ticket buyers of the company’s flight experiences.
“The ‘Galactic 03’ crew bought their tickets as early as 2005 and, since then, have been an active part of the Company’s vibrant Future Astronaut community. This community – comprised of approximately 800 individuals representing more than 60 different countries – enjoys access to distinctive experiences designed to inspire and to enrich their spaceflight experience,” stated Virgin.
The pilots for ‘Galactic 03’ are VSS Unity Commander Nicola Pecile and VSS Unity Pilot Michael Masucci; the Astronaut Instructor is Colin Bennett.
In the past 12 weeks, Virgin Galactic has introduced 11 new astronauts to the world. Following the ‘Galactic 03’ spaceflight, the customers on board would become Virgin Galactic astronauts 014, 015 and 016.
Is Garmin expanding their satellite SOS business?
Traffic and destination mapping business Garmin is rumored to be planning to work with Google to expand their satellite-based, SOS telephony market.
One report said that Garmin and Google are talking about using Google Messages and its text option on Garmin’s Response services for satellite-based, emergency, SOS connections. Garmin’s existing emergency service taps into Iridium’s satellites, which themselves cover the entire planet. Garmin charges around $15 per month (or a local equivalent) to use the satellite services.
Google’s Android phones, it is suggested, could be activated on Garmin’s systems and expanded to help stranded or emergency/SOS needs for users in more than 150 countries. The existing service from Apple on its recent iPhone 14 models is currently limited to 15 countries.
A new Google Android phone (Android 14) is expected to be released to the market shortly and some observers suggest the new phone could include the SOS technology. Meanwhile, chipset manufacturer Qualcomm is also working on adding support for SOS messaging via Iridium with a service called Snapdragon Satellite.
Qualcomm’s service is also available on the Garmin Response system. Qualcomm stated in February that Honor, Motorola, Nothing, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi are all currently working on phones with hardware that support the satellite feature. (Source: Satnews)
30 Aug 23. Benchmark Space Systems wins 2nd AFRL contract for new thrusters testing. This is Benchmark’s second SPRINT award in two years, after the company successfully demo’d a prototype thruster burning the (AFRL) developed, Advanced Space Craft Energetic Non-Toxic (ASCENT) monopropellant without the use of a catalyst bed. The milestone trials opened the door to ASCENT as an affordable, viable alternative for a broad range of on-orbit mobility and tactical missions in space.
Benchmark’s collaborative work with AFRL and the U.S. Government is a model example of how the company thoroughly vets the safety and optimizes performance of propellant for use in space, such as the flight-proven high-test peroxide (HTP), bi-propellant running the company’s Halcyon product line. Benchmark propellant innovations also include the inert non-toxic powder fueling its Starling systems, and a variety of readily and domestically sourced metals to feed its Electric Propulsion offerings.
Benchmark’s propellants team will continue to screen and solve inherent propellant challenges, including hurdles posed by LMP-103, nitrous oxide, water, and other fledgling propellants that have shown promise for specific mission types.
Benchmark’s expertise and stringent development and test regimen has led to a growing thruster and propellants lineup that is well positioned to power a wide range of government and commercial missions.
As part of this new AFRL-funded program, Benchmark is building a flight-like, 22 Newton thruster to perform advanced ASCENT, hot-fire demos and will also deliver a preliminary design of a larger, 100 Newton thruster assembly in 2025, with the goal of meeting overall demand for scaled, ASCENT-fueled, spacecraft in the 10-500 Newton range.
Benchmark also unveiled the company’s new Advanced Propellants Group, led by Director Michael Martin, PhD, who has spearheaded much of the ASCENT thruster prototype development and testing, both at Benchmark’s technology center in Pleasanton, California, and labs at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. The new team will build on Benchmark’s overall mission to explore and test a broad range of greener propellants for its growing suite of proven non-toxic chemical, electric and hybrid propulsion systems.
“Benchmark has developed a novel ASCENT thruster technology that provides the high-thrust scalability to make ASCENT a viable propellant across the full necessary performance range of DoD’s current and future dynamic space operations. This next two-and-a-half-years of ASCENT thruster prototype development and testing under the SPRINT program will ultimately enable the refinement and scale of storable monopropellant systems and operations to support immediate off-the-shelf availability for rapid deployment defense missions.” — Jake Teufert, Benchmark Space Systems Chief Technology Officer
“Our expertise in non-toxic propulsion systems and testing means Benchmark is well positioned to provide thrust to a wide range of government and commercial spacecraft on low Earth orbit, lunar, and cislunar missions. We are non-toxic propulsion professionals who will open the door even wider for ASCENT usage, as we also explore bringing in other underutilized and promising green chemical, electric and hybrid technologies to power the space economy.” — Michael Martin, Ph.D. and Director of Benchmark’s Advanced Propellants Group. (Source: Satnews)
08 Sep 23. Europe’s space agency welcomes UK deal with EU on satellites. The European Space Agency on Friday welcomed a deal for Britain to resume full membership of Europe’s Copernicus programme, easing doubts over the next batch of climate-tracking satellites and the completion of development work by European space firms.
Britain said on Thursday it would re-join both Copernicus and the European Union’s Horizon science research programme, ending a two-year post-Brexit standoff over funding.
Copernicus is a set of six families of Sentinel satellites designed to read the planet’s “vital signs” including carbon dioxide.
Plans for six more “Sentinel Expansion” missions starting from 2026 have been left in suspense because of a funding gap of 721 m euros stemming mainly from Britain’s exit from the EU.
In an interview with Reuters last month, the head of the European Space Agency – which co-leads the world’s largest Earth observation project with the EU – warned that work would have to be suspended if there were no funding deal by next June.
But following Thursday’s agreement, Director General Josef Aschbacher said the deal would allow UK scientists and industry to benefit fully from one of Europe’s leading space programmes.
“The UK’s full participation in the programme is a major boost to the climate-change agenda, which relies on space-based observations of our planet every single day,”, Aschbacher told Reuters by email.
The agreement is a boost for satellite manufacturers including Europe’s Airbus (AIR.PA), France’ Thales (TCFP.PA) and Germany’s OHB (OHBG.DE) that had been awarded contracts to build the new set of satellites subject in part to an EU funding deal. (Source: Reuters)
16 Jun 23. Lightning in a Bottle: Comtech’s Ground Systems Enabling a New Age of Insights at the Edge. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but the insights gained from layers of satellite-delivered, real-time geospatial data and imagery can be game changing for a variety of industries, governments, businesses, and communities across the globe.
The convergence of satellite communications (SATCOM) and geospatial data is redefining the speed of decision making in virtually every market. As a global innovator of space-based capabilities, ground systems, and terrestrial networks, Comtech is uniquely positioned to develop infrastructures capable of integrating SATCOM and geospatial capabilities and unleashing the full potential of new constellations in space.
During the early days of the conflict in Ukraine, geospatial data was put to the test, as cloud cover and smoke disrupted optical satellites attempting to provide critical insight over an area teeming with evacuees trying desperately to get out of harm’s way.
Military and government officials turned to synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology, but quickly found that raw SAR files were of little use to decision makers on the frontlines since deciphering the gray-scale imagery would take too much time in the face of a rapidly escalating war.
The eventual and necessary move to analytics changed everything by opening the door to immediate data and reports from the field.
“The pivot to analytics that we saw take place in Ukraine is not theoretical, it can be life-saving,” explained Nicole Robinson, Chief Growth Officer for Comtech. “It has proven to be an important convergence of SATCOM and geospatial data. The results have already been transformational when it comes to empowering decision makers with a new level of what Comtech calls Insights at the Edge.”
Beyond military operations, according to Nicole, the advantages these insights provide can make an unprecedented impact across a wide variety of global markets and industries.
Next-Gen Satellite and Geospatial Technologies on the Horizon
Developments in satellite and geospatial technologies over the last five to eight years have opened the door to new possibilities in analytics and real-time insights. The latest high throughput satellite (HTS), and mega constellation advancements in LEO and MEO along with geospatial developments, including SAR, hyperspectral, AIS, RF Mapping, and other compelling modalities, have made rapid access to insights a new reality.
Thanks to these new developments, patterns can be generated when people, places and activities are correlated. In today’s world, understanding patterns and delivering real-time insights through smart-enabled technologies has the potential to enhance nearly every industry and aspect of life imaginable.
Broadly speaking, blended SATCOM and geospatial tools will provide two distinct outcomes. These include enhancing program delivery by efficiently sharing assets by geospatial collaboration tools as well as place-based analysis. Secondly, this technology convergence can enable businesses, communities, and governments to implement better policies and procedures owing to insightful intelligence and geospatial analysis capabilities.
The real magic is in the ground architecture, which is often “a bit of an afterthought,” noted Nicole. “Everyone is beginning to appreciate the fact that ground systems are actually the foundational component when it comes to bringing SATCOM and geospatial together to get that critical insight to decision makers even faster. There is a tremendous need for this capability, and Comtech is thrilled to be at the center of this convergence. It’s really something special and extraordinary.”
With 50 over years of technology leadership, Comtech is uniquely positioned to deliver the global hybrid ground service platforms needed to accelerate the transformation of global communications infrastructures and deliver smart-enabled services to empower customers with access to new information and powerful insights.
“Today, Comtech is developing new ground service platforms that will enable the integration of multi-orbit, multi-frequency, and multi-modality capabilities to provide customers with powerful new Insights at the Edge,” said Nicole. “These new insights have the potential to change the game for nearly every industry imaginable.”
Empowering Partnerships
In April, Data analytics leader Descartes Labs joined Comtech’s Innovation Foundry as an EVOKE technology partner to further advance SATCOM-geospatial convergence capabilities. The goal, Nicole said, is to enable a broad range of customers, from first responders to wineries, to leverage speed and near real-time access to intelligence and insights. Rescue crews can utilize the data to provide a safer, faster, and more effective emergency plan, while the analytics can also enable vineyards to ultimately produce a better bottle of wine.
“Comtech’s ground systems and sensor technologies are delivering the insights to the edge to literally create smart vineyards, for example, where winemakers can use Descartes Labs’ geospatial data layer delivered over high throughput satellites to help them fully understand and enhance the quality of their soils,” Nicole explained. “That will have a huge impact on the quality of their harvested grapes and the overall production of their wines.”
Comtech has the lightning in the bottle, the ground infrastructure to unleash the full potential of multi-orbit, multi-frequency, multi-modality capabilities over a SATCOM architecture in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) or Geostationary Orbit (GEO), which enables immediate geospatial data and communications delivery, and analytics and access at a single point.
Comtech’s EVOKE Innovation Foundry brings in partner strengths and capabilities that, when combined with Comtech’s capabilities, “deliver something much greater than the sum of the parts,” explained Nicole. “The Descartes Labs-Comtech alliance enables the increased intelligence and understanding of what’s happening in a broad range of use cases through that fused, layered insight.”
Key Benefits of SATCOM-Geospatial Convergence
“Speed to insight is among the most important, critical benefits of this SATCOM and geospatial data convergence,” said Nicole. “Having access to insight in a matter of minutes is absolutely game changing. It’s everything when you can put actionable information in the hands of decision makers when they need it most – right now.”
First responders who can quickly assess the reach of floodwaters or the extent of electrical grid outages will know immediately where to send resources to save lives and restore services. Access to insights in days is now considered irrelevant and no longer actionable.
Operational security is another benefit of this emerging convergence. The ability to ensure pristine data that has not been altered is extremely important in all applications, and is especially critical for defense and intelligence communities, as well as commercial markets.
As part of Comtech’s new Insights at the Edge solution, “we offer a deployable kit that features the antenna, modem, and the hardware technologies in transportable form,” Robinson explained. “That rapid deployment tool allows users to receive data on premise and perform quality assurance and security measures, so they know who has authorized access to the data and analytics supporting their mission.”
Comtech’s Insights at the Edge solution blends Comtech’s hybrid networking ground systems with satellite services and geospatial data to provide customers with access to industry first insights and information. As the demand for real-time actionable insights continues to grow, Comtech’s Insights at the Edge solution is designed to evolve over time to adapt to customer needs in near real-time and integrate a variety of new smart-enabled services.
“There’s tremendous room for growth and expansion,” said Nicole. “What’s exciting is Comtech has nudged the SATCOM-Geospatial door open, and customers are very interested – not because of what we’re going to be able to do in 3-5 years with the convergence, but what we’ve already consistently shown we can do today.“
————————————————————————-
At Viasat, we’re driven to connect every warfighter, platform, and node on the battlefield. As a global communications company, we power ms of fast, resilient connections for military forces around the world – connections that have the capacity to revolutionize the mission – in the air, on the ground, and at sea. Our customers depend on us for connectivity that brings greater operational capabilities, whether we’re securing the U.S. Government’s networks, delivering satellite and wireless communications to the remote edges of the battlefield, or providing senior leaders with the ability to perform mission-critical communications while in flight. We’re a team of fearless innovators, driven to redefine what’s possible. And we’re not done – we’re just beginning.
————————————————————————